Poll: Most Americans Would Feel Safer with Armed Guard at their Child’s School

In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, the NRA proposed placing an armed police officer in every school saying that it’s “the one thing we can do immediately that can make our children more safe.” Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter slammed the proposal, calling it a “completely dumb*** idea,” but a Rasmussen poll finds that most Americans don’t agree—especially among parents of school-aged children.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of American adults would feel safer if their child's school had an armed security guard. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 26% would feel safer if their child attended a school where no adults were allowed to have guns. Another 20% are undecided.

Among parents of school-aged children, support for armed guards is even higher. Sixty-two percent (62%) of such parents would feel safer with an armed security guard at the school, while 22% would feel safer if their child attended a gun-free school.

Granted, the cost of such a program can’t be ignored when considering the proposal but when it comes to the idea alone, it seems that parents would feel safer with an armed guard present at their child's school. Even David Gregory thinks it’s a good idea when it comes to his own children (just not other people’s).